


Surprises

by astradanvers



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Post Finale, Project Cadmus, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Fic, i may be all kinds of in love with prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:52:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6800734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astradanvers/pseuds/astradanvers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is leading the hunt for her father at Project Cadmus, along the way she finds a couple of surprises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Two years, six months and three days, a handful of hours, that's how long it's been since Alex ran a Kryptonite sword through Astra’s chest. That's the amount of time that passes before Alex steps into a clinically white room and finds Astra curled into herself in the far corner. Her breath stutters and stops, sticks in her throat, “Astra?” she manages to choke out.

Blue eyes so like her sister’s rise to meet her own, except there's something broken in Astra, her fire gone. “Come to finish the job, Agent Danvers,” she says, “after all you are the one who started this.”

Alex moves forward, watches Astra flinch at her quick movements and kneels before the older woman, “I'm sorry,” she tells the Kryptonian, “I'm sorry for what I did and I'm sorry you've been here all this time.”

Astra reaches out and Alex spots the Kryptonite cuff on her wrist, “All pretty words, Agent Danvers, for an hallucination.”

Placing her hand on Astra’s her fingers wrapping around those of the other woman’s she shakes her head, “No hallucination, Astra,” she promises, “I'm real. I'm right here.”

“You came for your father,” Astra says quietly.

“We did,” Alex says even as she begins working on the Kryptonite cuff on Astra’s wrist. When the white bracelet falls open in her hand she quickly tosses it away and then stands, “Come on,” she murmurs.

“No,” Astra looks up at Alex, “you came for your father, brave one, not for me.”

In that moment Alex thinks about that night in Kara’s apartment when Astra told her how to defeat the Black Mercy, about what happened after. It's a memory she's blocked from her mind for years, a memory she's pretended doesn't exist, “If I had known you were here,” she says quietly, “this would have been a two person rescue mission.” She holds her hand out, “So come with me.”

Looking up at the woman above her Astra nods, slips her hand into Alex’s and allows herself to be pulled up, her legs shaky, “I'm sorry,” she says when she stumbles into Alex, “they,” she swallows, “they only returned me here just before you arrived.” She shudders, “My body has not yet adjusted.”

Wrapping an arm around her waist Alex nods, “I've got you.” She steers Astra towards the door she entered moments before, “Let's meet up with the others and get out of here.”

“Who else?”

“J’onn and Kara,” Alex says, moving them in the direction of the meet point. “They've got my dad.”

Astra stops suddenly outside a door a few down from hers and before Alex can stop her she's rushed in, “Astra,” she says, stepping forward to hold the door open.

When the other woman returns she's carrying a small pod, barely bigger than a duffle bag, “Now we can go,” she says, pod cradled to her chest.

Alex stares at the other woman, “We can't take that with us.”

“We can and we are,” Astra says firmly but doesn't elaborate more.

“Put that thing back where it came from or so help me -”

“It's an incubation pod, brave one,” Astra says suddenly. Alex stops, stares at the other woman, “She's going with us.”

Slowly Alex nods, “Okay,” she nods once more, “okay.”

They make their way through the rest of the halls, Astra still somewhat supported by Alex but holding tightly to the pod in her arms. When they reach the meet point Kara, J’onn and Jeremiah are already there. Alex looks her father over, he looks the same, just as she remembers him. She throws herself into his arms, feels herself pulled tight against him, just the way he always hugged her, “Daddy.”

She reaches out to Kara, wraps her hand around her sister’s and pulls her into the center of the hug. “I hate to break this up,” J’onn says quietly, “but we have to go. They're coming.”

Nodding Alex pulls away, brushing at her tears, “Okay,” she says, “we need a new escape plan.” She turns to find Astra leaning heavily against the wall, “Hey,” she says quietly, “Astra?”

“Aunt Astra?” Kara questions appearing at her aunt’s side.

“They've starved her,” Astra says quietly, “starved both of us of the sun. This close to me she's leeching my energy from me.”

Alex takes the pod from Astra, surprised by how light it is. She feels something take root in her chest at the feel of the pod in her arms, something extremely protective. “Can you fly if you aren't carrying her?”

Astra nods, “I think,” she allows herself to hover a bit, “it'll be better when I'm in the sun.”

Turning Alex passes the pod to J’onn, she meets his eyes, “You protect her with your life.”

J’onn nods, he doesn't dare second guess her, he senses a change in Alex after she took the pod into her arms. “She'll be safe with me,” he promises.

“Kara,” Alex says turning to her sister, “take Dad with you,” she looks between J’onn and Kara, “whatever happens the two of you make sure you get them out of this place.”

“Alex -”

“Astra and I will make it, Kara, but Dad and the pod are your number one priorities right now.”

“Okay,” Kara says but there's a hesitance in her voice. “Can you carry Alex, Aunt Astra?”

Astra nods, “I can,” she says, “I'll carry her on my back.”

Nodding Kara moves to Jeremiah, “Alex, wouldn't it be -”

“She’ll leech energy from you too, Kara,” Alex says carefully, “you aren't her mother but you're blood relation.”

Slowly Kara nods, “Right.”

“You all go, Astra and I will be behind you.” Watching her sister take flight with her father and J’onn take flight with the incubation pod Alex closes her eyes, she turns to Astra, “Where did they get my DNA?” she asks quietly.

“I always thought it was simply your father’s but clearly that is not the case.” She motions Alex around, “Come, we will figure this out when we are safe,” she meets Alex’s eyes, “when she is safe.”

Alex nods, wraps her arms around Astra’s neck and her legs around Astra’s waist, the other woman gripping her thighs, “That way,” she says pointing towards the exit. “The sun, our daughter, our family they're that way.” Astra nods and then runs in the direction Alex pointed at super speed. There's too many unanswered questions and too many things that need to be understood but one thing Alex knows is that she has a child with the woman carrying her. She lays her head on Astra’s shoulder for a moment, what are they going to do?


	2. Chapter Two

When the small rescue party touches down outside of DEO headquarters Alex slides down from Astra’s back even as Astra reaches towards the pod in J’onn’s arms. “I should look the three of you over,” Alex says, motioning to her father, Astra and the pod now firmly held against Astra’s chest. She looks at Kara, “Will you bring a couple of the sun lamps to my lab?”

“Of course,” Kara says already moving. Alex knows she's trying to process everything and that the task will give her time.

J’onn rests a hand on her shoulder, “While you look after these three I'm going to find your mother and Cat, bring them to the lab.”

Alex smiles at him and nods, “Thank you,” she tells him quietly. Silently she leads the way to her lab, her father and Astra walking on either side of her. When they step into the lab Astra moves instantly to one of the exam tables, placing the pod on it. Alex turns to her father, “Let's give you a look over first.”

Jeremiah shakes his head, “Alex, check her over first,” he grins, it's not as easy as Alex remembers it but it's close, “I can see your fingers itching to make sure she's okay.”

Alex nods but doesn't say anything before she moves to Astra’s side, “Is there a vitals panel? Anyway of knowing what stage of development she's reached?”

“I don't know,” the other woman says quietly. “The pod is Kryptonian but it's different too.” She waves her hand over the top of the pod, “Brave one, look,” she whispers out.

The pod has a similar reaction as that of a burial pod and Alex finds herself looking through the metal. The baby inside is tiny but also fully developed, “She's near birth.”

Astra nods, “It would seem. She's so tiny.”

Studying the incubation pod Alex makes a decision quickly, “Astra,” she says, “we have to get her out of the pod.”

“But she may not be ready to leave the pod,” Astra says instantly.

Turning to face the other woman Alex rests her hands on Astra’s shoulders, “I need to be able to fully evaluate her condition, Astra,” she says calmly, evenly, “I can't do that with her in the pod. I know more than anyone else on this planet besides you about Kryptonian physiology, between the two of us if something is wrong we can keep her alive. Look at her though, Astra, she perfect and she's fully developed, chances are in a day or so what's about to happen would occur naturally, we’re just speeding it along a bit.”

Slowly Astra nods, “You're right,” she finally concedes, this will be far from the first premature birthing she's seen to ensure the child’s safety, Kara was early as well. “Check your father and I over first though?”

Alex nods, the few extra minutes for their baby won't matter in the long run but right now, to Astra they're important. She moves back to her father, trying to ignore the way her eyes keep trying to turn back to Astra, trying to fight the urge to move to her side.

“Let's check you over, Dad,” she says quietly.

Jeremiah nods and then sits quietly while Alex draws blood, “You’re brilliant,” he says sometime later when she's waiting for the computer to spit out a result. She has her fingers laced in her hair, keeping it away from her face, “Just as talented as your mother.”

Alex smiles, “Thanks, Dad,” she says quietly. Those two statements hold things she's always wanted to hear from her father. “This is going to take a little while,” she tells him, “maybe after I check Astra and the baby over I can show you some things.”

He smiles at her, “I'd like that.”

She nods, a flutter of happiness in her chest at being able to show off for her father, “Mom and Kara should be back soon,” she tells him and moves towards Astra. She watches the way the other woman seems to be amazed by the tiny form inside the incubation pod, she is too if she's honest. “Okay, General, let's give you a once over before we begin her birthing.”

Astra nods and slides up onto the table beside the pod, being careful not to jostle it too much, “Are you sure this is best?”

Alex meets Astra’s eyes, “I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think it was.”

“Okay,” the Kryptonian says quietly, she tilts her head, “you'll let me see her, right?” she questions quietly, hoping Jeremiah won't hear. “I know I can't keep her with me but you'll bring her to visit? Let me play with her? Get to know her? Possibly from outside Kryptonite walls.”

Stopping what she's been doing, Alex grasps Astra’s hand with her own, “You are going to be a part of her life, Astra,” she promises, “and it'll be more than just weekend visits to the DEO, okay?”

Astra nods, looks away and Alex knows she doesn't really believe her. Before Alex can say more the door to the lab is bursting open, Eliza moving in, her hands covering her mouth as she takes in the sight of her husband. Alex looks away as her mother traces her father’s features before folding her arms around his neck and crying against his shoulder. The hand in hers squeezes gently while Astra’s free hand rises to brush an errant tear from Alex’s cheek.

“Where's Kara?” a new voice asks quietly at Alex’s elbow.

“Getting sunlamps,” Alex tells her. “Cat Grant, this is Astra, Kara’s aunt. Astra, Kara’s boss and wife, Cat.”

“Wife?” Astra questions even as Alex moves towards the pod holding their daughter.

“Wife,” Cat says, “for a little over a year now.” The woman peers over the side of the pod, “Why is there a baby in there?”

“Kryptonian incubation pod,” Alex tells her.

“These were used before Kal-El,” Astra says, “when our people were built for science and war but not for love.”

“So this is how Kara was born?” Cat asks and Astra nods. She watches Alex move to the end of the pod where the baby’s head is, “What are you doing?”

Alex glances to her sister-in-law, “Inducing the birthing process. She’s part-Kryptonian and part-human and this pod is not conducive to giving her a proper check up.”

“Isn’t that like premature labor?”

Astra nods, “It is,” she watches Alex carefully press the release buttons for the pod, impressed that the agent knows exactly what sequence will allow their daughter to adjust to her new world. “She’s developed enough that inducing the birthing process now should be like inducing labor for a human who shouldn’t deliver naturally.”

“Oh,” Cat says simply. She’s too busy observing the way that Astra takes in every move that Alex makes, or the way that Alex seems to know without looking just where Astra will be. When the top of the pod slides open Astra reaches inside carefully and lifts the small baby out. “She’s tiny.”

“All incubation births are,” Astra tells her even while Alex begins giving the baby a complete and proper evaluation.

“She’s healthy,” Alex finally says after long minutes. “I’ve got blood,” she holds up the vials, “to see exactly what her genetic makeup consists of besides Kryptonian and human.” The Kryptonian nods, her eyes never leaving the baby in her arms. Alex steps up, slips the light jacket off her arms, “Wrap this around her until I can send one of my grunts to find some diapers and blankets.”

“She’s perfect,” Astra says quietly. Cat has moved towards Eliza and Jeremiah, wanting to meet Kara and Alex’s father but also feeling as if she was intruding. “Alex,” Astra says quietly, and the other woman is sure it’s the first time Astra’s ever said her name, “you’re sure she’s okay. That the sun starvation hasn’t -”

Alex rests her hands on Astra’s shoulder, “She’s okay, Astra, I promise.” She leans their foreheads together without a thought, “She’s safe and she’s healthy. Her cells are a little depleted still but J’onn must have flown high enough that she restocked a lot of her sun energy then.”

The older woman nods, “Okay,” she says softly. She closes her eyes, “I've been so scared.” She holds their daughter a little tighter, “They threatened her,” she says quietly, “once they told me about her, she was the way they ensured I stayed in line. I would do anything they wanted as long as they never hurt her.”

Astra is taller but she leans into Alex, her head resting under the smaller woman’s chin, “She's safe, Astra,” Alex promises quietly, “you both are.”

Kara bursts into the room then, sunlamps in hand, “Whoa,” she says upon seeing her sister and aunt. She watches them, “I knew it,” she says and a slow easy grin slips across her features, then drops, “You stabbed her.”

“I was going to murder your commanding officer, little one, she did what she had to in order to protect him.”

Staring at Astra, Kara shakes her head, it's one thing to be told something like that and a completely different thing to be told by the person. “If I had made it sooner,” Kara begins quietly, “would you have stopped.”

“We will never know,” Astra tells her niece gently. The baby in her arms shifts, nuzzling at the warm jacket surrounding her, and Kara’s eyes fall on her. “Kara, I’d like you to meet your -”

“Niece,” Alex says suddenly, cutting Astra off. She meets Astra’s eyes but speaks to Kara, “Meet your niece.”

“What?” Eliza questions, moving towards her daughters, Jeremiah’s arm around her shoulders and her hand resting on his stomach, “What do you mean?”

“Cadmus got my DNA,” Alex tells her family, her hand unknowingly resting on the small of Astra’s back as she stands at the other woman’s side, looking down at their daughter. “I don’t know how or when or where but I know they did.”

“She was draining your energy too,” Jeremiah says, looking at Alex. “When you took her incubation pod at the facility, you just stood for a moment, she was draining your energy like she was her mother’s.”

Alex nods, “My body couldn’t provide her the sun energy she desperately needed but it could provide the other energy her system was missing. When I took the pod I felt it, I felt her.” She looks down at the little girl in Astra’s arms, grinning when she finds bright eyes looking up at her, “She’s my daughter,” she looks at Astra, “she’s our daughter.”

“What'll you do?” Eliza questions.

“Raise her,” Alex tells her mother simply. “We’ll raise her together. Away from Kryptonite cells and white padded rooms.” She looks at Astra, “We’ll raise her with love and understanding,” she looks back at her family, “and a family that will always be there when they need her.” She glances at the door of her lab, sees J’onn’s face in the door and knows without telepathy what he's thinking, “Get in here, Alien Dad!” He glares at her as he makes his way into the room and over to their small group, “You are a part of this family,” she tells him, “that doesn't change now and it never will.”

J’onn nods, “You looked after them,” Jeremiah says suddenly realizing who the green Martian beside him is.

“I did, I would have done nothing less after you saved my life, Jeremiah.” He looks between Kara, the blonde’s arm wrapped around her wife, “I walked Kara down the aisle because you could not.” He looks to Alex, her hand at the small of Astra’s back, “I pulled this one back from a place she should never have been when you could not.” He looks back to Jeremiah, “I looked out for them as I would my own, I protected them as I would my own.”

Jeremiah nods, “I can never repay you for those things and I'm sure a million others that you have done for them.” He holds out a hand, “How about we take our family to dinner so I can get to know our daughters? I'd like to know what I've missed.”

Kara rests her head on Alex’s shoulder, “We have two dads now, an alien Dad and a dad Dad, does that mean we get in twice the trouble if we do something stupid?”

Smiling, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, Alex nods, “Yeah, yeah it does.”

“I can't wait,” Kara mutters. She glances at her sister, “You're a mom.”

That thought hasn't sunken until that moment, until then Alex has been thinking about the little girl as the baby but suddenly she's real and she's Alex and Astra’s daughter. “I'm a mom,” she whispers so only Kara and probably Astra can hear. “And I'm going to ask your aunt on a date,” she shrugs, “eventually, give her and the baby time to settle in at my place.”

“Your place?”

Alex shrugs, “She's my daughter, Astra is her mother and I won't separate them. Plus I have plenty of room since I bought the house.”

Kara nods, “Makes sense.” She turns back to the others, dropping their whispered conversation, “I heard dinner,” she says and four stomachs growl.

“Okay, the Kryptonians I understand,” Cat says, “but you two?”

“I've been in an experimental facility for years,” Jeremiah says.

Cat nods and turns her eyes on Alex, “I grew up eating with this one,” she says pointing to her sister. She glances at Astra and their daughter, “She needs a name,” she says quietly as the others turn to talk of places to eat.

Astra looks at Alex, remembers Kara vaguely mentioning when she'd visited her in her Kryptonite cell that Jeremiah and by extension Alex loved the stars. “What do you think of Aurora?” She smiles, “She was the Roman goddess of sunrise.”

Alex nods, “I love it.” She tugs at Astra’s hand, “Let's go get her some diapers and clothes and then go to dinner with our family.”

“Family,” Astra whispers quietly, “I haven't had that in a while.”

“Now you do,” Alex says simply.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Alex/Astra, "put that thing back where it came from or so help me”


End file.
